EDUCATION USA RESOURCES 2014 for AMERICAN SPACES: also includes general resources useful for programming.

by STEPHEN PERRYPERRYSX2@state.gov IRO, ACCRAAUGUST 2014

THE FIRST CRITICAL RESOURCE IS https://www.educationusa.info/

YOUR 5 STEPS TO U.S. STUDY:https://www.educationusa.info/for_international_students.php (ANOTHER CRITICAL RESOURCE)

NOTE THAT THIS WEB SITE IS TRANSLATED INTO MANY LANGUAGES AND HAS A SEARCH ENGINE

RESULT OF THE EDUCATIONUSA WEBSITE SEARCH ON “SCHOLARSHIPS”

IIP DIGITAL WILL ALSO HAVE PAMPHLETS, ARTICLES, eJs on STUDY IN THE USA, WHICH CAN BE DISTRIBUTED DURING YOUR PRESENTATIONS: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/

Here are a few relevant eJOURNALs (eJS) from IIP DIGITAL (iipdigital.usembassy.gov/)

Another resource from IIP DIGITAL is a book on STUDY IN THE USA: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/publication/2014/06/20140604300793.html#axzz38qlf8vnD

This article in IIP DIGITAL’s STUDY in the USA book is especially helpful, and often proves to be the major difference b/w American Style education and the experience offered overseas.

Here is an IIP DIGITAL eJ on STUDY in the USA; available at this link: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/amgov/133183/publications/1406_Study_in_the_USA_Low_Res.pdf

From the IIP DIGITAL PUBLICATION, STUDY IN THE USA:

You want to tell students that they will feel at home when studying in the USA

MORE GENERAL RESOURCES

•THE FOLLOWING SLIDES SHOW RESOURCES THAT WILL PROVE USEFUL FOR PROGRAMMING IDEAS IN AMERICAN SPACES, as well as LESSON PLANS, and WHERE TO LOCATE SPECIFIC INFORMATION.

ALA annually publishes a Best Web Sites for Teaching and Learning: here is their 2014 compilation: http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites

Many of these ALA sites are noteworthy for Education content as well as for presentation resources or ideas: http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/2014

Education Resources beyond Education USA: Yahoo Education: Yahoo Reference http://education.yahoo.com/reference/

I personally find Merlot to be a crucial resource: http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm?action=communities (Merlot is used by Educators worldwide)

I especially love Merlot on my NETVIBES FEED: easier to use (netvibes.com) Resources in all Subject Disciplines, Detailed Lesson Plans, Program Ideas with resources noted…

Here is an example of a resource I discovered using MERLOT: an entirely free Open Course on U.S. History: https://lumen.instructure.com/courses/202929 -- note the Critical Thinking exercises below

Your audiences will ask for Lesson Plans, Student and Teacher Resources: besides MERLOT, SHMOOP is also helpful: http://www.shmoop.com/

Lesson Plans: MERLOT has a valuable Search Engine; I used LESSON PLANS and retrieved helpful results.

Result of the Merlot search on Lesson Plans

Library of Congress Lesson Plans are an invaluable resource for American Spaces program ideas: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/

The Library of Congress also has a Classroom Materials Page – also highly useful for programmatic resources: note the various links on he page that you can use for program ideas http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/

Finally, don’t forget about LIBGUIDES (www.libguides.com) if you are hunting down resources; example let’s say you are doing a presentation on THINK TANKS and have no idea how to begin

Here is the result of the LibGuides Search on Think Tanks: this guide gives specific resources

Other Lesson Plans and Curriculum Resources may be found in these web sites

• CURRIKI: http://www.curriki.org/

• FEDERAL REGISTRY FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE: http://free.ed.gov/

• NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES: (thousands of Program ideas/PLANS/Student Resources listed here) http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans

LESSON PLAN SEARCH ENGINE: I created a customized Lesson Plans Search Engine which I hope you find helpful.

• Lesson Plans Search Engine is at: http://goo.gl/iLfm8w

• I typed in that Search Engine “BIOLOGY DIGITAL TEXTBOOKS” and found the following highly relevant resource:

• http://www.discoveryeducation.com/what-we-offer/techbook-digital-textbooks/high-school-science/biology.cfm

FREE TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHERS: has its own embedded search engine: www.freetech4teachers.com

• Very useful website for Lesson Plans, Program Ideas and explanations of how to use Social Media as well as Technology in the classroom.

• Do a search on Blogs (as just one example) in this website’s Search Engine for highly specific tutorials and instructions that you can then roll out in your American Space.

Kathy Shrock’s Guide to Everything provides useful ideas for programming in American Spaces: note the definition of Digital Storytelling http://www.schrockguide.net/digital-storytelling.html (and, NOTE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD)

WHAT ARE MOOCs and OERs?

•MOOCs: MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES

•OERs: OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

• I have a PPT on MOOCs offering many examples in my Website: www.tinyurl.com/6dfaxn

•Also check the Website: http://oeconsortium.org/members for listings of universities all over the world providing free online courses in all subject areas.

ACRL’s DESCRIPTION OF MOOCs: http://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/keeping_up_with/moocs

Here is ECA’s Curated List of Recommended MOOCs by Subject Area available on the ECA Intranet Site: http://eca.r.state.sbu/Lists/MOOCs%2020%20Curated%20List/AllItems.aspx?&&&PageFirstRow=1&&View={2422D252-1490-4A4C-B43B-F0C9AFAEA6FB}

Finally, iPads – many of you have or will order iPads and many of wonder which Apps might prove useful for educational purposes in American Spaces?

•BEST FREE EDUCATION APPs: • http

://www.teachthought.com/apps-2/the-55-best-best-free-education-apps-for-ipad/

• for possible programming at the American Corner, targeting very young audiences, using iPads:

• http://socialtimes.com/ten-ipad-apps-based-on-classic-childrens-book_b163650?red=en (wonderful resources here)

Thanks for your attention – we hope you learned about a few new resources that will make your American Spaces programming sparkle!

•IRO Stephen Perry•Accra, Ghana•August 1, 2014•PerrySX2@state.gov